The proposed training program responds to pressing needs in the United States as reflected in a major goal of Healthy People 2010: To eliminate health disparities among such underserved segments of the population as African Americans, Asians and Hispanics. Women of color in the U.S. bear a disproportionate share of health disparities; of the six DHHS focus area in which racial and ethnic minorities experience serious disparities (i.e., infant mortality, cancer screening and management, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV infection/AIDS, and immunizations), it can be argued persuasively that the intersectionality of gender, ethnicity and class disadvantages women of color in every category but the last. The complex interaction among biological factors, the environment (including cultural context), and health behaviors must be taken into account in order to develop effective interventions. Interdisciplinary training will be essential to prepare scientists to study the complex multifactorial causation of women's health disparities and to gain expertise in the varied and sophisticated methodology needed to investigate such disparate multiple factors. Thirty-one senior faculty (17 nursing and 21 faculty in related disciplines) have come together to offer interdisciplinary mentorship to nurse pre and postdoctoral trainees. We aim to prepare nursing scholars to study health disparities among diverse populations of women and girls, to collaborate with ethnically diverse communities in the conduct of the program, and foster the development of minority nurse scientists. Many well established interdisciplinary research teams, a critical mass of ethnically diverse faculty, and a rich mix of Institutes and Centers is available to advance the efforts of the training program.